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Man killed; roommate arrested

PARKSIDE—A Jamaica Plain man has been charged with murder for allegedly stabbing his roommate to death at 5 Gartland St. on Mother’s Day.

Kim Gaines, 52, is being held without bail. Authorities did not immediately identify the victim of the May 11 killing beyond saying he was a man in his 30s.

The Gartland Street residence is a “supported housing” group home
owned by Vinfen Corporation, a Cambridge-based human services and mental health agency, according to spokesperson Shawn Middleton. He declined to be more specific about the program at the house.

The building was formerly a group home operated by Mental Health Program, Inc., until Vinfen sought to buy it around 1993, as the Gazette reported at the time. Vinfen operates other group homes around JP.

“Our deepest sympathy goes out to our clients’ family, friends and colleagues as well as those Vinfen staff who worked with the clients,” said Susan Abbott, Vinfen’s senior vice president, in a press statement.

Middleton declined to comment further about the killing, citing the ongoing police investigation and Vinfen confidentiality rules.

Police reportedly responded to a 911 call and found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim later died at a hospital.

It was Jamaica Plain’s third homicide incident in three weeks. [See related article.]